Redemption

Redemption is the act of delivering someone or something from error, sin, or a difficult situation, restoring value, standing, or life that was lost or compromised. The term comes from Latin redemptio meaning buying back or reclaiming, and it has both religious and secular uses. In broad use, redemption can imply moral transformation, forgiveness, or a regained sense of wholeness.

In Christian theology, redemption refers to salvation accomplished through Jesus Christ, who is believed to have atoned for humanity's sins through his life, death, and resurrection. The concept also appears in other religious traditions with variations: Judaism emphasizes repentance and atonement (teshuva and kapparah) to repair the covenant with God, while Hinduism and Buddhism emphasize liberation from cycle of rebirth (moksha or nirvana) as ultimate deliverance from suffering.

Secular uses of redemption center on personal rehabilitation, restitution, or a change in character after wrongdoing. In literature, cinema, and popular culture, redemption arcs trace a protagonist's movement from fault or guilt toward forgiveness and renewal, often through sacrifice, restitution, or moral choices. Social redemption can also denote efforts to restore a person’s reputation or to reintegrate someone who has served a sentence.

See also: atonement, forgiveness, salvation, penance, rehabilitation, reconciliation, redemption arc.